Hotel clerk&#39;s room and information rack



Dec. 17, 1929.v J. c. McKlNNEY HOTEL. OLENxs ROOM AND INFORMATION RAON 3 SheetsSheet Filed D80' 3, 1927 Dec. 17, 1929. J. c. MGKINNEY HOTEL CLERKS ROOM INFORMATION RACK Filed Deo. 5. 1927 s sheets-sheet 2 jay/ a @3 fmfv/ Dec. 17, 1929. J. C. MCKINNEY 1,139,850

HOTEL CLERKS ROOM AND INFORMATION RACK Filed Dec. 5. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 4 f8 lzfg. 15

Patented Bec. 17, 1929 UNITE .SAT

JOI-IN C. MCKINNEY, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA HOTEL CLERKS ROOM AND INFORMATION RACK Application filed December 3, 1927. Serial No. 237,444.y

My present invention relates toa hotel clerks room and information rack and has for its object the provision of such a rack that is simple and easy to keep up to the minute so that a clerk, at a glance, may tell how out of order.

many rooms are vacant and the condition thereof, whether in order or out of order. He can also tell the rooms reserved for future occupancy and Whether they are in order or The name of the person occupying the .room or for whom it is reserved is also clearlyvisible to the clerk from quite a distance.

Said rack also has an indicator lfor each room which may be set at will to indicate the number of beds therein and whether single or double. The rack is also provided with a rate card for each room that can be easily referred to, by the clerk in case he is indoubt .Zo as to the prices, the bath whether tub or shower, the number of windows andthe like.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, like characters indicat-e like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of the room and information rack;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detail view in section taken von the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view principally in vertical section taken on the line 3-.3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section taken f on the line 4.-4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary face view of the frame;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the intermediate upright rail;

Fig. 7 isa perspective view of one of the receptacles; Y

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the holder removed' from the receptacle shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a View corresponding to Fig. 8 but looking at the back of the holder;

Figs. 10, 1l and 12 are perspective views of the signal plate, signal slide and room number plate, respectively, removed from the holder;

Fig. 18 is a perspective view of one ofthe name cards;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary detail view in section taken on the line 14-14 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of one of the combined'bed indicator and rate card holder removed from' the frame; y

Fig. 16 is a .faceview of one of the bed indicators; v

Fig. 17 is a view of the bediindicator strip removed from theV indicator shown in Fig. 16 1;' and s Fig. 18 is a perspective view of the rate card 'removed from the holder shown in Fig. 15.

The device as a'whole consists of a frame 20 0f a .Shape best adapted to the particular space at hotel clerks desks and 'ofa size the hotel necessitates. As shown, this frame 2,() comprises upright rails 2 1, a top rail v22 and a bottom rail 23. Said upright rails 21 are edgewise spaced to 'leave openings 2,4 therebetween vand said rails at their opposing edges have formed therein longitudinally eX- tended grooves 25. Entrance notches 26 to ,the grooves are formed in each rail 21 at the Atop and outer faces thereof, as best shown in'Fig. 5. It may be here stated that there is an opening 24 foreach floor in the hotel containing rooms for occupants, and as illustrated, two of such openings are formed in the frame 20.

In each opening 24 is an individual name card receptacle 27 for each room on the respective floor of the hotel and in each of said receptacles is a holder 28. Each receptacle 27 is, as shown, cut and pressed from a pieceV of sheet metal, is of rectangular form and has rearwardly projecting base and end flanges 29 and 30, respectively. The rear edges of they end flanges 29 are inclined from the rear edge of the lian-ge 29 to the top of the receptacle 27. `Formed with the rear edge of the base ianges 29 and end flanges 3Q is an in wardly projecting retaining liange 31 and formed with the lower member vo f said flange is a pair of upstanding guide fingers 82. The receptacles 27 are of such length that their end flanges snugly fit between the respective pair of rails 21 with their end portions overlapping said rails. The lower portions of the receptacles 27 overlap the n eXt underlying` receptacles with the exception of the lowermost which overlaps the frame rail 23 and their upper portions overlap the next overlying receptacle except the uppermost. It will thus be seen that the receptacles 27 overlap the adjacent portions of the frame and each other to cover the joints therebetween so as to give the rack a neat and finished appearance. The top member of each receptacle 27 is outwardly and transversely curved, as best shown in Fig. 7 for a purpose that will presently appear.

Each holder 28 is cut and pressed from sheet metal and the horizontal edge portions thereof are outwardly and inwardly curved to form upper and lower retaining flanges 33. Cut from the body of eachholder 28 are end and intermediate light passages 34 and which holder is of such length as to snugly fit between the end flanges 30 of the respective receptacle 27. On the ends of the holders 28 are tenons 35 which fit in mortises 36 in the end flanges 30 of the receptacles 27 and thereby connect the same. rllhe tenons are formed by being cut and pressed from the holders 28 at the time the end light passages 34 are formed therein. It is important to note that card holders 28 occupy the lower half of the open space in the respective receptacles 27 and the upper horizontal edge of each holder is midway between the upper and lower horizontal edges `of the receptacle at said opening. The receptacles 27 and the holders 28 may be assembled by springing the parts thereof to insert the tenons 35 into the mortises 36 or in any other suitable way. The outer faces of the retaining flanges 33 are flush with the outer faces of the receptacles 27 and it is important to note that the holders 28 are spaced from the retaining flanges 31 for the insertion of a namecard 37 into each receptacle 27 back of its holder 28.

As previously stated, each r-eceptacle 27 represents a room and a number plate 38 therefor is mounted in the left-hand end portion of the respective holder 28 and held in place by the retaining flanges 33. The number plates 38 cover the left hand light passages 34 in the holders 28. Said number plates 38 may be made from metal or other opaque material with the room number cut therein or said plate may be made from a transparent or translucent material with the room numbers indicated thereon by opaque substance, such as paint.

A signal strip or plate 39 to indicate whether a room is in order or out of order colored green to indicate that the room is in order and the other red to indicate that the room is out of order. An opaque slide 4l is mounted over each signal plate 39 and held by the retaining flanges 33 for sliding movement longitudinally of said plate. rlhs slide 4l is provided with a light passage 42 of substantially the same size as one of the light passages 40 and with a finger piece 43 by which said slide may be moved. In one position of the slide 41 one of the light passages 40 is closed thereby and the light passage 42 in said slide is co-incident with the other of said light passages 40.

Attached to the back of the frame 4 0 is a housing 44 containing one or more electric light bulbs 45 for illuminating the openings 24 in the frame 20. In the top and bottom of the housing 44 are air passages 45 for the circulation of air through said housing to keep the same cool. j

The card 37 is of translucent material so that the light from the light bulbs 45 will shine therethrough and illuminate the number plate 38 so that the room number thereon may be easily read at a distance. The light passages 40 with which the light passages 42'in the slides 4l are in registration will also be illuminated and indicate the condition of the rooms7 whether in order or out of order.

The card 37 is preferably made so that the upper half thereof is one color andthe lower half thereof is another color and is reversible so that said card may be positioned with either colored section above the respective holder 28 and with the other colored section covered thereby. Said twocolored sections, for instance, may be white and amber, the latter indicating that the room is reserved for future occupancy and the former that the room is occupied. The name of the person for whom the room is reserved will be typewritten or otherwise indicated on the card placed in the receptacle 27 for his room with the amber section thereof turned up if the room is reserved, or the white section turned up if the room is to .be immediately occupied. If the card 37 is placed in the receptacle 27 with the amber section thereof turned up indicating that room is reserved for future occupancy, said card will be reversed to bring the white side thereof up at the time the person arrives to occupy the room. Y

At the right of each receptacle 27 is an upright bed indicator 47 of cylindrical form and h-aving an expanded head 48 the periphery of which is knurled so that said indicator may be easily turned. A strip of celluloidor other suitable material 49 is applied around the indicator 47 and has printed or otherwise indicated thereon the following SB 1S) S D W. These lettersand groups of letters are circumferentially spaced letters around the indicator 27 and designate, respectively, two single beds, two double beds, a single bed and a double bed,a single bed, a double bed and a wall bed.- The indicators i7 are removably and turnably mounted in cylindrical holders having wide radially extended tongues 5l set vertically edgewise and removably mounted in pairs of aligned slots 52 formed in the respective upright rail 2l and a 53 on the back of said rail.

A sight opening 54 is 'formed in the front ot each holder 50 and is of such size as to eX- pose in the field thereoic any one oit' the letters or groups of letters on the strip 49. It the letters are exposed in the sight opening 54, it indicates that there are two single beds in the room, and so on.

The indicators 47 are releasably held in the holders 50 by beads 55 pressed from said holder 5() and projecting into circumferentially extended grooves 56 in the lower end portions ot said indicators. lt will be noted, by reference to Fig. l5, that the holder 50 is longitudinally divided so that the same yieldin'gly engages the respective indicator 47 and rictionally holds the same where set. It also permits the holder 50 to be sprung during the entrance ott the bead into the groove 56.

The longitudinal edges of the tongues 5l are folded inward upon themselves to form retaining langes 57 and aiiord secondary holders for rate cards 58 having printed thereon in acolumnreading 'from the top down R-SDFUFLFMBWR- rllhese identifying letters represent, respectively, room number, single rate, double rate, furnished, unfurnished, furnished and linen service, furnished and maid service, bath, windows and rooms.

In each opening 24 at the top thereof, above the column of receptacles 27, is a floor number plate 59. As indicated, these plates 59 are Yformed from sheet metal or other opaque substance and have cut therein the number of the floor ot' the hotel. These floor number plates 59 have at their ends tongues 60 somewhat wider than the entrance passages 26 so that their lower edge portions extend into the grooves 25 and hold said plates against lateral and endwise movements. In

the bottom rail 23 below each opening 24 is a pair of screws 6l. These screws 6l engagey the lower longitudinal edge of the lowermost receptacle 27 and hold the entire column thereof and the respective licor number plate 59 clamped together with said plate engaging the upper rail 22 as a base ot resistance.

From the above description it is evident that a clerk may see, at a glance, at all times whether rooms are occupied or vacant. The condition of the room is indicated by light showing through the colored light openings 40 uncovered by the slide 41. rlhe clerk may also read at a considerable distance the name and address of an occupant of a room which is made possible by light `from the light bulbs 35 showing through the translucent cards 37. As the floor numbers and room numbers are illuminated by the light bulbs 35, they may be easily read from a distance. By the use of the improved rack, mistakes are avoided in reading loor numbers, room numbers and the names and addresses ot the occupants of rooms. As there are no cards 87 in the receptacles 27 for vacant rooms, a bar ot light shows through the respective receptacles above the holders 28, thus permitting a clerk to see at a glance the number of vacant rooms on hand which facilitates the assignment 'of rooms to guests upon their arrival.

The signal plates 39 indicate whether these vacant rooms are in order or out of order and as fast as they are put in order, the housekeeper or linen maid telephones the clerk and he shiits the slides 41 to cover the red light openings l0 and uncover the green light openings e0. The light openings show at a glance the equipment of beds in each room and are easily adjusted when this equipment is changed.

The rate cards 58 are within easy reach of the clerk and give all information necessary and have an especial advantage tor a clerk unfamiliar with a hotel or a person relier-.fing a clerk. thus avoiding mistakes as to rates, number of windows, bath, equipment, number ot rooms in an apartment and the like.

l/Vhat I claim is:

l. In a rack of the kind described, the

combination with a frame, ot a plurality ot i individual receptacles in the frame, and a holder in each receptacle for removably holding a member.

2. In a rack of the kind described, the conibination with a frame having a pair of ways and entrance passages to the ways, ot' a plurality of individual receptacles insertable through said passages to the ways for interlocking sliding engagement therewith and adapted to be supported in the frame, the one upon the other, a Hoor number plate removably held in the ways above the column of receptacles and closing the entrance passages to the ways, an abutment over the floor number plate, and a lifting device supporting the column of receptacles and floor number plate and holding said column with t ie number plate in contact with the abutment and the receptacles and number plate clamped together.

In a rack of the kind described, the combination with a trame, of a holder having a siOht opening, and a shiftable indicator in the holder and having indicia arrangedJ to be brought into the field ot the sight opening in the holder, said holder being removably and means for illuminating the name cards mounted in the frame and having a secondary and light passages 1n the signal plates fromV holder extending into the frame.

l. In a rack of the kind described, the oombination with a frame, of a plurality of receptacles in the frame, a holder in each receptacle, a room number plate in the holder, and name cards insertable into the receptacles back of the holders.

5. rlhe structure defined in claim 4; in Which the name cards are translucent and have tWo colored sections, either one of saidrseetions being arranged to be covered by the holders, said cards being'- reversible to position either section thereof back of the holders.

6. In a rack of the kind described, the combination with a frame, of a plurality of receptacles in the frame, a holder in each receptaole, a signal plate in the holder and having tivo different colored illuminated light passages, a slide mounted in the holder for closing either one of the light passages Vand having a passage arranged to be brought into registration With either one of the light passages.

7 In a rack of the kind described, the combination with a frame, of a plurality of receptacles in the frame, a holder in each receptacle, a room number plate and a signal plate in each holder, said signal plate having tufo different colored light passages, a slide on the signal plate lfor alternately opening and closing the light passages, a translucent name plate insertable in the receptacle back of its holder, and means for illuminating the light passages and name plate.

8. The structure defined in claim 7 in Which the name plate has tivo colored sections and is reversible, either colored section of the name plate being arranged to be covered by the holder.

9. In a rack of the kind described, the combination With frame, of a plurality of receptacles in the frame, a room number plate for each receptacle, a holder having a sight opening mounted on the frame for each receptacle, a shiftable indicator in the holder having characters arranged to be brought into the field of the sight opening in the holder.

10. In a rack of the kind described, the combination with a frame, of a column of receptacles in the frame, holders in the receptacles, translucent name cards in the receptacles having two different colored sections so arranged that one of the sections thereof are covered by the holders and the other sections thereof are visible, said name cards being reversible to position either of the colored sections thereof back of the holders, room number plates in the holders, signal plates in the holders having colored translucent light passages, slides in the holders for covering and uncovering the light passages,

the back of the receptacles. y

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature.

JOHN C. MCKINNEY. 

